Case packing apparatus



Dec. 2, 1969 R. A. ENGLANDr-:R .ETAL 3,481,108

CASE PACKING APPARATUS Filed July 21, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 2, 1969 Filed July 21, 1967 R. A. ENGLANDER ETAL. 3,481,108

CASE PACKING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTORS MH 5 Jair/5 ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 R. A. ENGLANDER ETAL 3,481,108'

" cAsE PACKING APPARATUS Filed July 21, 1967 's sheets-sheet s WWA/MA TTORNEY5 Dec- 2, 1969 Rl A. ENGL/ANDER ETAL 3,481,108

CASE PACKING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 2l, 1967 De 2, 1969 R. A. ENGLANDER ETAL 3,481,108

CASE PACKING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 21, 1967 Dec- 29 1969 R. A. ENGLANDER :s1-Ax.n 3,481,108

CASE PACKING APPARATUS Filed July 21, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYS Dem 2, 1969 R. A. ENGLANDER ETAL 3,481,108

CASE PACK ING APPARATUS Filed July 2l, 1967 8 Sheets-Sheva?l i? INVENTORS 2056er 4. amar/05e ATTORN EYf Dec. 2, 1969 R. A. ENGLANDER ETAL 3,481,108

CASE PACKING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet r-f.

Filed July 2l, 1967 w Viv United States Patent C) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for continuously inserting a predetermined number of objects into a series of packing cases or cartons; the cases and bottles are fed to a packing station in timed relation with one another and with a series of grids, the grids interposing themselves between the objects and the cases so that when all of the elements reach the packing station they move as a unit and the objects fall through the grids into proper positions within the cases, after which the grids and iilled cases separate, all of this occurring continuously and rapidly.

The present invention relates to a machine -for automatically and continuously packing multiple objects such as bottles or cans into cases or cartons.

In the past this type of packing has been performed in an intermitten fashion. The cases are fed to a packing station where they come to a stop. They are then raised into operative relation with a iixedly positioned grid. An appropriate number of objects such as cans or bottles are fed to the packing station, come to a stop, and are then deposited into the case, usually simultaneously, by moving through the grid, the latter therefore properly positioning each bottle within the case. After the bottles have thus been deposited into the case, the case is lowered to disengage it from the grid, after which it is moved from the packing station. The intermittent nature of the procedure, and the need for lifting and lowering the cartons after they arrive at the packing station, all takes time and therefore greatly limits the producivity of the machines of the prior art.

It is the prime object of the present invention to devise a machine which will permit continuous-motion packing of bottles, cans or other objects into appropriately shaped packing cases or cartons. The continuous nature of the action of the machine greatly improves its productivity, thereby providing for the packing of a greater number of cartons or cases within apredetermined period of time. It also greatly improves the reliability of the packing operation, particularly where fragile objects, such as glass bottles, are to be packed.

By way of specific example, machines of the prior art are capable of packing thirty' cases per minute when twenty-four bottles are to be packed within each case. The machine of the present invention can pack sixty such cases per minute, thus doubling productivity, 'but with no appreciable increase in the floor space required.

These. results are accomplished by providing synchronized but separate continuously moving feeding means respectively for the produces to be packed, the cases into which they are to be packed, and the grids which guide the products into the cases and ensure that they are in proper position. Each of these elementsproduct, case and grid-are fed at different levels, initially separated so as not to interfere with one another but converging as the elements progress through the machine until, at the packing station, they are all operatively interrelated. After the objects have been inserted into the case,

the case is then guided away from the grid and is con- "ice veyed to any appropriated external station, the grid being returned to initial position so as to repeat its -functiOn in a subsequent stage of operation.

More specifically, the objects to be packed (hereinafter termed, for purposes of simplicity, bottles, it being understood that this term is used only by way of example and that virtually any type of multiple-packed objects could 'be employed) continuously travel along an upper level and at some point are grouped into the desired number of bottles to be inserted into a given carton, the thus-'segregated group 0f bottles being conveyed toward the packing station. In a like continuous manner and coordinated with the feeding of the bottle groups, the cases are individually transported from a lower station 'well below the point of entry of the bottles to the case position in the packing station, located below the bottles at the packing ystation but relatively close thereto. A series of bottle-guiding and -locating grid assemblies are continuously fed 4by the machine. The grid assemblies operatively enter the machine at a point vertically between the bottles and the cases and they move with the Vbottles and the cases toward the packing station. At some point in advance of the packing station the grids engage the bottles in a given segregated group and thus locate them and, preferably, also serve to feed the bottles during the last stage of their continuous movement to the packing station. At the same time the case into which that group of bottles is to be packed, as it moves forwardly, also moves upwardly so that the lower section of the grid enters the cases. Thereafter the case, grid, and group of bottles -move essentially as a unit into the packing station where the bottles fall, preferably not all at once, through the grid into the case. After all of the bottles have thus fallen into the case, the case and grid are conveyed in diverging directions such that the grid moves out from the case and away from the bottles. The packed case, thus free 0f the grid, is then conveyed to the next manufacturing station in any conventional fashion, while, as has been noted, the grid is returned to the infeed portion of the machine so as to perform its designed function with another group of bottles and another case.

The falling of the bottles into the case at the packing station is preferably accomplished merely `by means of gravity, the bottles being fed along bottom supports until they reach the packing station, the bottom supports terminating at the packing station so that as the bottles move therebeyond they fall downwardly through the grid into the case. Since the bottles, case and grid are all moving contniuously into, through and out from the packing station,rthe bottles will thus fall singly or in small groups into the case Without damage to the bottles and with a high degree of reliability insofar as positioning the bottles within the cases is concerned.

The feeding of the cases, bottles and grids is preferably accomplished by feeding means each of which moves along an endless path from the infeed to the output ends of the machine and then returns back to the infeed end. The grid assembly construction is unique, particularly in that it is articulated, th-us facilitating its movement along an endless path back and forth through the machine, while at the same time permitting it to feed the bottles into the packing station, to ensure accurate registration of the bottles, grids and cases while they are in the packing station, and to guide and position the individual bottles in the case.

The machine is simple, dependable, easily manufactured, and easily adapted to different specic applications, such as the packing of different shapes and sizes of cans and bottles, the packing of cases of different sizes and shapes, the packing of different numbers of objects within a given case, and the like. Moreover, in the main the ma- 3 chine employs constructional elements which are in general familiar to those involved in the packaging field, thus resulting in a machine which is readily maintained and repaired by available personnel.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to an apparatus for Continuous case packing, as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the machine of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged side elevational views of the machine, FIG 2A illustrating the infeed section and FIG. 2B illustrating the output section, FIGS. 2A and 2B together constituting substantially an enlarged reproduction, but in greater detail, of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are top plan views on an enlarged scale, partially broken away, corresponding respectively to FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3B;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical section through a typical portion of the grid assembly showing the manner in which that assembly cooperates with a bottle after the bottle has fallen into the packing case;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the grid assembly as it passes around an end sprocket wheel; and

FIG. l0 is a vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, taken through one of the pusher bars employed for feeding the bottles during a portion of their travel through the machine.

Broadly considered, the machine comprises means generally designated A for feeding a series of bottles 2, means generally designated B for feeding a series of cases or cartons 4, and means generally designated C for feeding a series of grid assemblies generally designated 6, the bottles 2, cases 4 and grids 6 being moved along together from the infeed end 8 of the' machine (shown at the left hand end of FIGS. 1 3) to a packing station generally designated D, where the botttles move accurately through the grid assembly 6 into the cases 4. Thereafter the cases 4 with the bottles 2 therein are fed to the output end or right hand end 10 of the machine, while the grid assembly 6 returns back to the infeed end of the machine 8 in order to repeat its designed functions. The bottle feed A is located at the highest level, the case feed B is located at the lowest level, and the operative portion of the grid feed C is located at an intermediate level. At the infeed end 8 of the machine the levels of the feeding means A, B and C are spaced vertically sufficiently from one another so as not to interfere with one another. As those means move through the machine toward the packing station D they converge until, at the packing station D, the grid means 6 is received inside a case 4 and engages an appropriate number of bottles 2, the bottles 2, grid means 6 and cases 4 moving as a unit while the bottles 2 fall into the cases 4. Thereafter the path of the filled case 4 diverges from the path of the grid means 6, so that the two separate and can then be individually manipulated.

All of the operative elements of the machine may be mounted on a suitable framework generally designated E, the details of which may be' widely varied and form no part of the present invention. Various of the parts of the machine are driven for synchronized movement; this drive can be from a single driving motor, not shown, through appropriate gearing vand/ or belt and/ or chain driving means effective to move them in proper synchronism.

, i 4 Since the details of these driving means form no part of the present invention, they are not here illustrated specilically, it being understood that any appropriate means can be employed to power the' bottle feeding means A, the case feeding means B, the grid feeding means C, and all other parts of the apparatus subsequently to be described. It will further be understood that although the invention is here specifically disclosed in the' form of a machine designed to pack twenty-four bottles into a case of rectangular cross section, that too is merely by way of exemplilication, and many variations could be made therein, both with regard to the type of object to be packed, the type, shape and size of case 4 in which the packing is to occur, and the' number of objects to be packed within a given case, all as required by any given industrial application.

BOTTLE FEEDING MEANS A The bottles 2 are fed into the machine at an upper elevation at the infeed end 8 of the machine. They are here shown as entering the machine at a laterally offset location along conveyor belts 12 which start at a point remote from the machine and which pass over driven rollers 14 within the machine. The bottles 2 thereon are shifted laterally, by means of guide rails 16, as they move forwardly (from left to right as shown in the drawings) over intermediate conveyor belt 18 and onto conveyor belt 20. The belt 18 is driven between rollers 22 and 24, while the belt 20 is driven between rollers 26 and 28, the roller 26 being located close to the infeed end 8 of the machine and the roller 28 being located approximately midway of the length of the machine. The nature of the conveyor belts 12, 18 and 20 and the inclined guide rails 16 may be of the type shown in Englander and McVeigh Patent 3,279,579 of Oct. 18, 1966 entitled Apparatus for Transporting Cylindrical Articles and assigned to the assignee of this application, that apparatus being specially designed to modify the numbers of rows of articles as they are conveyed along a given path, the speeds of movement of the conveyors 12 at the infeed end and 20 at the output end being correlated to provide the desired result. If no change in the number of rows is required, the speed of the infeed conveyors 12 and output conveyors 20 could, of course, be the same.

The bottles 2 leave the inclined rails 16, at the station 30, four abreast, the bottles being separated into four longitudinal rows by means of longitudinal guide rails 32 which are mounted in any appropriate manner on the apparatus above the conveyor belt 20. The bottles move with the conveyor belt 20 in a substantially continuous stream until they reach the station generally designated 34, where they are separated into groups preferably corresponding in number, within a particular group, to the number of bottles to be deposited in a given case 4. The group segregation apparatus, which also subsequently functions as a bottle feeding means after the bottles have been moved off from the conveyor belt 20, is defined by a plurality of sets of pusher bars 36, the bars being located in opposed pairs and being slidably mounted in bar housings 3S, one on each side of the paths along which the bottles are to be conveyed, the housings 38 in turn being mounted and carried by pairs of sprocket chains 40 which rotate over and around sprocket wheels 42 and 44 located respectively adjacent the infeed end 8 and the output end 10 of the apparatus. Each of the bars 36 has aixed thereto a button or cam follower 46 which extends up beyond the housings 38 and is slidable through elongated slot 48, the cam followers 46 and pusher rods 36 being spring urged outwardly, by springs 49, so that the cam followers 46 engage and ride along cam bars 50 which extend along the path of travel of the cam followers 46, the cam bars 50 being widely spaced at points 50a adjacent the sprocket wheels 42, having converging parts 50h which meet with the relatively closely spaced main sections 50 of the cam bars, there being diverging cam bar sections 50c and widely laterally spaced sections 50d at the right hand end of the machine. The longitudinal spacing between each pair of housings 38 with their corresponding pusher bars 36 corresponds to the length of the cases 4 into which the bottles 2 are to be packed.

The conveyor belt on which the bottles initially ride terminates at roller 28. Thereafter the bottle slide over dead plate 51 onto static bars 52 which define the bottom supports therefor, the guide rails 32 extending along to either side of the static bars 52 so as to maintain the bottles four abreast in their desired longitudinal rows. The grouping of the bottles is accomplished by the pusher bars 36 which, as they move from left to right as viewed, for example, in FIG. 3A, are projected inwardly toward one another, inserting themselves between adjacent rows of bottles, by the action of the converging cam bar portions 50b on the cam followers 46, all as may perhaps best be seen in FIG. 3A. Thereafter it is the pusher bars 36, carried along by the sprocket chains 40, which move the groups of bottles in advance thereof off from the conveyor belt 20 over the dead plate 51 and onto and along the static bars 52 toward the packing station D.

Since the sprocket chains 40 are continuous, the pusher bars 36, after they leave the packing station D, retract into their housings 38 and return back to the infeed end 8 of the apparatus, there to once again perform their desired functions. The pusher bars 36 are caused to retract into the housings 38 by means of the action of the springs 49 and the locations of the cam bar sections 50c and 50d at the trailing or output end of the feed near the sprocket wheels 44.

The static bars 52 terminate at the packing station D, preferably in a staggered fashion, as indicated by the end edges 52a, 52b, 52e and 52d of the four flight bars S2 slz-own in FIGS. 3B and 7.

Any appropriate means may be employed to drive the sprocket chains 40, and with them the housings 38 and the pusher bars 36. This means may be provided to rotate the shaft 44a on which the sprocket wheels 44 are mounted, the sprocket wheels 42 on the shaft 42a rotating in idling fashion, but this is, of course, but one manner in which the drive could be accomplished.

THE CASE DRIVING MEANS B The cases 4, in open-topped condition, are fed to the machine on an infeed conveyor generally designated 54, and they then pass on to and move along with a conveyor belt 56 having a horizontal initial section 56a and an upwardly inclined terminal section 56h, the conveyor belt S6 rotating about end rollers 58 and 60, and moving between intermediate rollers 62, 64 and I66. Roller 68 is employed on the lower or return portion of the conveyor belt 56. The roller 60 may be fast on drive shaft 70, thereby to cause the conveyor belt 56, at its upper sections 56a and 5611, to move from left to right, thereby to convey the cartons 4 in that direction. Also mounted on shaft 70 are sprocket wheels 72, around which endless sprocket chains 74 travel, there being a sprocket chain 74 on each side of the apparatus. Flight bars 76 extend between and are secured to the sprocket chains 74 so as to move therewith, the spacing between the flight bars 76 corresponding to the length of a given case 4. The chains 74 extend around the sprocket wheels 72 at the infeed end 8 of the apparatus, after which they extend around sprocket wheels 78 at the output end 10 of the apparatus, the wheels 72 and 78 defining a continuous path for the sprocket chain 74 and the flight bars 76 carlied thereby.

At the right hand end of the conveyor belt 58b is an inclined slide plate 80 which extends upwardly and to the right and terminates at 82 (see FIG. 2B), this being immediately in advance of the packing station D. At the packing station D and to the right thereof is another endless conveyor belt 84 which extends between end rollers 86 and 88 and which has intermediate guide rollers 90, 92 and 94 associated therewith. The section 84a of the belt 84 is located at the packing station D, positioned between the rollers 86 and 90, and is horizontal, while the section 84h thereof located beyond the packing station D and positioned between the rollers and 88 is inclined downwardly. An output conveyor generally designated 96 is located at the output end 10 of the machine substantially in registration with the right hand end of the conveyor belt 84. Guide bars (see FIG. 2A) may be provided (they are here shown only fragmentarily) to cooperate with the sprocket chain 74 so as to ensure that it travels in the path indicated, that path being, along the upper path of travel thereon, first horizontal at the infeed end 8 of the machine, then upwardly inclined, then horizontal at the packing station D, and then downwardly inclined, the path of the chain 74 at its lower reach -being substantially in a straight line, and preferably with no need for guiding bars, in moving from the sprocket wheel 78 to the sprocket wheel 72. In addition, guide bars 97 (-see FIGS. 4, 5 and 3B, where they are shown fragmentarily) may be provided to engage the cover flaps 99 of the cases 4 and keep them in case-open position as the cases 4 move to the packing station D.

THE GRID MEANS 6 AND THE FEEDING. MEANS C THEREFOR The grid means 6 are designed, in the form here specifically disclosed, to correspond to the packing of twentyfour bottles 2 within a given case 4, the bottles to be packed in six transverse rows of four bottles each, the grouping of the bottles by the pusher bars 36 and by the guide rails 32 corresponding to that arrangement. The grid assemblies C are designed to be moved through the machine from the infeed end 8 to the output end 10 thereof in a manner synchronized with the bottle groups and the movement of the cases 4. Continuous movement is an important attribute of the machine of the present invention. This calls for a continuous path for those grid assemblies 6, and for the return of a given assembly to the infeed end 8 of the machine after it has performed its desired function and has reached its output end 10. Therefore the grid assemblies 6 are moved along a continuous path by means of a pair of sprocket chains or the like 98, those sprocket chains passing around end Wheels 100 at the output end 10, upper end wheels 102 and lower end wheels 104 at the infeed end 8 and over guide roller 106 as well. One set of rollers is powered and is driven in synchronism with the other moving parts of the machine. Guide bars 107 may be provided to constrain the sprocket chains 98 to take the path indicated.

Each grid assembly 6 comprises a structure defining twenty-four partitioned spaces each of a size such as to permit a single bottle 2 to slide down therethrough, the openings being spaced so as to correspond to and be received inside the periphery of a case 4, those openings therefore providing for guiding and location of the bottles 2 within the case 4. It will be understood that the c ase 4 may well be, and usually is, provided with partltioning means, the grid assembly 6 being so designed as to guide each bottle into its proper position within that partitioning means.

The grid assembly 6 comprises a plurality of partition plates 108 extending between and secured to the sprocket chains 98, those plates 108 having upwardly extending rear wall portions 110 from which a plurality of forwardly extending side portions 112 extend, thereby to define the desired number of openings corresponding to .the arrangement of the bottles 2 in the case 4. ,(In this lnstance, as specifically disclosed, six transverse rows of four bottles each.) Depending from the partition plates 108 and from the side walls 112 are a plurality of spring fingers 114 which are readily flexible and which tend to converge toward one another. Each partition plate 108, together with its upper extension 110, side walls 112 and depending fingers 114, preferably constitutes a separate unit attached to the sprocket chains 98 independently of the other similarly constituted units. An appropriate number of such units are provided corresponding to the number of transverse rows of bottles to be deposited in a given case 4 (in this instance, the bottles are to be packed in the case 4 in six laterally extending rows, so that six such grid units are grouped together and positioned adjacent one another, each of those units providing for the reception and guiding of four bottles, one beside the other). The front limit of the opening defined between the partition plate 108 and the side walls 112 may be constituted by the partition plate 108 of the unit immediately in advance, except for the leading unit of a given group of units, which may be provided with an individual front wall 116 (see FIG. 7). By thus constituting the grid means C from a plurality of separate units each individually connected between the sprocket chains 98, articulation of the grid assembly 6 as it passes around the rollers 100, 102 and 104 is readily permitted (see FIGS. 1, 2A, 3A and particularly 9), thus facilitating continuous movement of the grid means 6 through the apparatus.

MACHINE OPERATION The bottles 2 are fed to the machine on the conveyor belt 12 and those bottles are then moved onto the conveyor belt and are arranged in rows, four abreast, the bottles then moving with the conveyor belt 20 to the station 34 where the pusher bars 36 insert themselves between adjacent lateral rows of bottles, thereby to subdivide the continuous bottle fiow into groups of twentyfour bottles, each group comprising six transverse rows of bottles four abreast. The pusher bars 36, moved by the sprocket chains 40, positively urge the group of bottles immediately in front of themselves off from the conveyor belt 20 onto the dead plate 51 and then onto the static bars S2, the bottles remaining four abreast in proper rows by reason of the longitudinally extending guide rails 32.

At the same time the cases 4 are brought to the machine by the input conveyor 54 in open condition, they are moved onto the conveyor belt 56, and as they thus move individual fiight bars 76 insert themselves between adjacent cases 4, thus providing for proper spacing between the cases 4. The flight bars 76, moved by the sprocket chains 74, positively `move the cases 4 onto the slider plate 80, the cartons thus moving upwardly as they move forwardly.

At the same time an appropriate number of grid sections making up a given grid assembly 6 have moved around the sprocket wheel 104 and assume a path which is moving forwardly and upwardly through the machine, but the upward inclination thereof is less than that of the cartons 4 so that the cartons 4 and the grid means 6 converge. As they thus move the depending spring fingers 114 of the grid means 6 enter the case 4. As the case 4 and the grid means 6 move further along their path, both rising, the upwardly extending wall portions 110 and 112 of the grid means 6 move up into engagement with the individual bottles 2 of a given group of bottles, thereby further subdividing that group into spaced individual bottles, one for each opening in the grid. 'Ihe upwardly extending wall portions 110 of the grid means are provided with slots 111 in which the static bars 52 are freely received, as may best be seen in FIG. 7.

The case 4, a given grid assembly 6 with its depending resilient fingers 114 received within the case 4, and a given group of bottles 2 all subdivided so that each bottle is properly positioned relative to a given opening in the grid assembly 6, now move along together and in registration to the packing station D, the case 4 and grid assembly 6 assuming a horizontal position. As the bottles 2 individually move past the end edges 52a-d of the static bars 52 over which they respectively ride, they fall through the individual openings in the grid assembly 6 into the case 4, that fall being cushioned to some extent and guided by the spring fingers 114, the bottles 2 thereby being guided and accurately positioned inside the case 4 and inside the various cells of the partition in that case when such a partition is provided. The spring fingers 114 remain in engagement with the bottle necks so as to steady them within the case 4.

Thereafter the case 4 with the bottles 2 therewithin, and the grid assembly 6 with its depending resilient fingers 114 in registration with the bottles, move out from the packing station D. The path of the case 4 with the bottles 2 therewithin now diverges from the path of the grid assembly 6, thereby to cause the grid assembly 6 to move vertically out from the open top of the case 4, the case 4 leaving conveyor belt 84 and being picked up by the output conveyor 96, while the grid assembly 6 moves up and around the sprocket wheel and then returns to the infeed end 8 of the machine.

It will be apparent from the above that all of the machine parts move continuously and that the bottles and cases are fed continuously through the machine, and that hence there is no lost time. Packaging takes place continuously and without interruption. Moreover, the movement of the bottles to the packing station and from there into the cases is accurately controlled and cushioned so that only a minimal amount of shock is experienced by the bottles. Thus product safety is achieved at the same time that a very greatly increased packing speed is achieved.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here specificallyy disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein, al1 within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A non-intermittent case packing machine comprising means for conveying a series of objects to an upper position at a packing station, means for conveying a series of cases to a lower position at said packing station, means for conveying a series of grids to an intermediate position at said packing station between said upper and lower positions, said positions being in registration with one another and said conveying means being effective to synchronize the presence at said station of said objects, grids and cases, means for causing said objects to move downwardly through said grids into said cases at said station, and means for conveying said objects, grids and cases out from said station with said objects in said cases and for moving said grids away from said objects and cases, and continuously acting power means operatively connected to said object conveying means, said case conveying means, and said grid conveying means, and effective to drive each of said conveying means in continuous movement synchronized with one another.

2. The machine of claim 1, in which said object-conveying means is effective to move said objects to said station in groups corresponding to the desired loading of said cases.

3. The machine of claim 2, in which said object-conveying means comprises first means effective to convey said objects in a large group to a first station, and second means effective to engage a smaller group of said objects at said first station and move said smaller group toward said packing station.

4. The machine of claim 2, in which said object-conveying means comprises first means affective to convey said objects in a large group to a first station, and second Irneans effective to engage a smaller group of said objects at said first station and move said smaller group to said packing station, said second means comprising parts movable along the path of said objects from said first station toward said packing station and movable across said path, and means for (a) Amoving said parts to said first station while they are laterally outside said path, (b) moving said parts across said path at said first station, thereby to interpose said parts between a forwardly located group of objects dening said smaller group and the remainder of said large group of objects, and (c) moving said parts along said path toward said packing station, thereby to separate said smaller group of objects from said large group of objects and to convey said smaller group of objects toward said packing station.

5. The machine of claim 2, in which said grid-conveying means is effective to move said grids from a preliminary position beneath and spaced from said objects upwardly into engagement with said objects prior to reaching said packing station.

6. The machine of claim 2, in which said objects are conveyed to said packing station and moved downwardly into said cases in groups comprising a plurality of rows of objects extending across the direction of movement of said objects into said packing station, said grids being subdivided into a plurality of sections extending across said direction of movement of said objects, said grid sections being articulately secured to one another so as to move relative to one another about axes extending substantially across said direction of movement of said objects, and in which said grid-conveying means is effective to move said grids from a preliminary position beneath and spaced from said objects upwardly into engagement with said objects prior to reaching said packing station.

7. The machine of claim 2, in which said case-conveying means is eiective to move said cases from a preliminary position below and spaced from said grids upwardly into a position in registration with and more closely spaced relative to said grids prior to reaching said packing station.

8. The machine of claim 2, in Which said grid-conveying means is effective to move said grids from a preliminary position beneath and spaced from said objects upwardly into engagement with said objects prior to reaching said packing station, and in which said case-conveying means is eiective to move said cases from a preliminary position below and spaced from said grids upwardly into a position in registration with and more closely spaced relative to said grids prior to reaching said packing station.

9. The machine of claim 2, in which said objects are conveyed to said packing station and moved downwardly into said cases in groups comprising a plurality of rows of objects extending across the direction of movement of said objects into said packing station, said grids being subdivided into a plurality of sections extending across said direction of movement of said objects, said grid sections being articulately secured to one another so as to move relative to one another about axes extending substantially across said direction of movement of said objects, said grid-conveying means is effective to move said grids from a preliminary position beneath and spaced from said objects upwardly into engagement with said objects prior to reaching said packing station, and said case-conveying means is effective to move said cases from a preliminary position below and spaced from said grids upwardly into a position in registration with and more closely spaced relative to said grids prior to reaching said packing station.

10. The machine of claim 1, in which said grid-conveying means is effective to move said grids from a preliminary position beneath and spaced from said objects upwardly into engagement with said objects prior to reaching said packing station.

11. The machine of claim 10, in which said case-conveying means is effective to move said cases from a preliminary position below and spaced from said grids upwardly into a position in registration with and more closely spaced relative to said grids prior to reaching said pack ing station.

12. The machine of claim 1, in which said case-conveying means is effective to move said cases from a preliminary position below and spaced from said grids upwardly into a position in registration with and more closely spaced relative to said grids prior to reaching said packing station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,243,408 10/ 1917 Hawthorne 53-160 X 2,615,289 10/1952 Hickin.

2,921,425 1/ 1960 Seval 53-247 2,978,854 4/ 1961 Fairest 53-247 X 3,107,775 10/1963 Dardaine et al 53-166 X 3,377,774 4/ 1968 Nigrelli et al. 53-250 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner R. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 53-244, 248, 251 

